This Kruger Park, Zimbabwe Highlights & Vic Falls Safari travels to world-class game viewing destinations and fascinating world heritage sites!
A well-rounded Budget Lodge Safari through Southern Africa, visiting two of Africa's top game parks, historical and cultural sites and the natural wonder of Vic Falls.
During this trip you are likely to come across activities that encourage tourists to participate in lion, elephant or other wildlife interaction. This includes walking with lions, riding elephants and any other tourist operation putting travellers in close contact with animals that would normally live wild and separate from human contact.
We absolutely do not encourage or endorse this type of wildlife interaction operation. For more information on why this is not good for Africa's wild animals, please see our detailed blog post on the subject.
This Kruger Park, Zimbabwe & Victoria Falls Lodge Safari sets off from the metropolis of Johannesburg, South Africa's biggest city. We drive northeast through the Gauteng Province, into the Mpumalanga Province where many of South Africa's top game parks are located.
Reaching the world-renowned Kruger National Park, we head to the more remote northern part of this 19,485 km² wilderness area. On our game drives in the less-visited northern section we come across fewer vehicles and other visitors. We explore the wild Letaba area, where we spend the night in chalets at a national park's camp.
One of the leading game parks in Africa, Kruger Park is famous for its abundance of wildlife and its progressive conservation practices. In Kruger a diversity of wild animals, birds and other creatures are commonly sighted, from warthog and lizard to hippo and eagle. The game park is home to the iconic Big Five (lion, elephant, leopard, rhino and buffalo), but these are just a few of the amazing animals to be seen. Kruger is also inhabited by endangered African wild dogs, cheetahs, jackals, hyenas, crocodiles and other predators, as well as zebras, giraffes, kudus and other antelopes.
On day two we take an early morning game drive, heading north to the Pafuri area of Kruger. Here lions, big elephant bulls and endangered African wild dogs are commonly sighted roaming in the mopane woodlands and bush.
We continue into the Limpopo Valley region with its forest vegetation, hosting rich birdlife. Later in the afternoon we leave Kruger, spending our second night at a safari lodge just outside of the national park.
Today we cross into Zimbabwe, north of South Africa.
Here we will visit the historical site of the Great Zimbabwe Ruins, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, walking through the remnants of the once-mighty city. This was the wealthy capital of the Kingdom of Zimbabwe, serving as a key trading centre in the region and home to the royal palace. This fascinating archeological site dates from the 11th Century and was built by the progressive Shona people of Zimbabwe.
After exploring the Great Zimbabwe Ruins we head to our next destination in Zimbabwe, the scenic Matobo National Park, another World Heritage Site. Arriving at Matopos Hills we enjoy sundowners from a vantage point overlooking the beautiful scenery.
On day five we head into Matobo Park to explore this unique landscape scattered with impressive boulders and rocky outcrops. We walk to World's View and the burial site of British imperialist Cecil John Rhodes. These hills are of great cultural value to the Shona, Ndebele and Venda ethnic groups, leading to controversy over the location Rhodes requested for his grave. The Matobo Hills are considered scared by some Zimbabwean tribes, hosting sacred shrines and ritual sites for communing with the ancestors.
We also explore Matobo Park on a game drive looking out for wild animals, including rhinos and antelopes, and take a walk to view ancient rock art by the semi-nomadic San Bushmen.
Both nights are spent in chalets near the national park, just south of Bulawayo.
On day six we drive north to Hwange National Park, the top safari destination in Zimbabwe. Day seven is set aside for game viewing in the national park, with a local guide. On our 4x4 game drives we are likely to come across herds of elephants, as Hwange is famous for its abundant elephants. The biggest game park in Zimbabwe at 14 650 km², Hwange Park is inhabited by the Big Five of Africa, and considered a stronghold for endangered wild dogs.
We stay in a private game park next to Hwange National Park.
Leaving Hwange we head to Victoria Falls, also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
We visit Vic Falls on a guided walking tour that takes us through the rainforest to this magnificent natural wonder. We stand close enough to the falls to feel the spray of the waterfall and get the full impact of the largest sheet of falling water on earth. Our accommodation is conveniently located in the historic town of Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe.
Victoria Falls is also famous for its exciting adventure activities (extra cost). You can go white water rafting or river boarding on the Zambezi River or take a sunset boat cruise. Extreme adventure options include bungee jumping from Victoria Falls Bridge, abseiling down Batoka Gorge, swimming in Devil's Pool at the top of Vic Falls and micro-light flights over the waterfall.
The 10-day Johannesburg to Victoria Falls tour finishes in Victoria Falls after breakfast today.
You can request a transfer to Vic Falls or Livingstone Airport when you book your safari.
For up-to-date and confirmed pricing info for optional items, please drop us an enquiry.
This tour does take children.
Children between the ages of 12 and 17 years of age are accepted on group scheduled departures, travelling with an accompanying adult.
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